Remember "Plan B?"

[Lori D.]

Lori, :grouphug: . You know what one of the best perks of this new school arrangement is? I finally get to play with all of yours and Eliana's lit suggestions for high school and I can't wait.

 

 

 

Oh, you and Sailor Dude are going to have a GREAT time with your Lit. discussions and adventures! :)

[swimmermom3]

For the SAT Subject test in American History, my daughter required no additional test prep time as she took the test one month after taking the AP US History exam. The AP class was an out of the home class.

 

For the Latin subject test, she did do some extra review using test materials.

 

For the SAT Math Level 2 test, she went through a test prep book or two. She took the test after taking College Algebra and Trigonometry at the local community college.

 

 

 

Clearly, I'm not Gwen; however, I wanted to say that we were pleased with the one online course my daughter took which was AP Statistics through PA Homeschoolers. The class was taught by Carole Matheny (also known here as Blue Hen). My daughter was challenged by the class but was well prepared for the exam and scored a five.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

Thank you so much for this information.

 

So,I will need to go back over our tentative four-year-plan and pencil in the appropriate tests as close as possible to the final classes that are needed to be prepared for the tests, right?

 

Did your daughter take the SAT Math Level 2 test at the end of her junior year? She would have had two outside validations of her math skills with both the SAT Subject test and and AP Stats score. Hmmm.

 

Our proposed sequence for math (based off of ps sequence) is:

 

9th - Geometry

10th - Adv. Algebra II (Foerster - either at school or with me)

11th - Functional Analysis/Trigonometry or Pre-Calculus - take Math SAT Level 2 here?

12th - AP Statistics or AP Calculus AB (challenge course with state university - Math 251, 252)

 

This is the FAT course description:

Prerequisite: Algebra II and Teacher Rec.

This is the fourth course in the four-year sequential math curriculum. This course focuses on understanding and

applying polynomial, inverse, power, exponential, rational,and trigonometric functions. Students will also investigate

logarithms and trigonometric relations.

 

Would this be similar to your dd's CC class? I think what I am asking in a roundabout way, is what year did she take AP Stats?

 

I really owe you a glass of wine or some chocolate for the mention of the PA Homeschoolers. I followed up on the AP Statistics course as my oldest ds' girlfriend is currently taking AP Statistics from the high school and isn't challenged. PA looks like a great option for not only the statistics class, but for so many others. I now have a back-up plan if the school denies our request for AP European History next year.

[Kareni]

So,I will need to go back over our tentative four-year-plan and pencil in the appropriate tests as close as possible to the final classes that are needed to be prepared for the tests, right?

 

Yes. There are some SAT subject tests (such as Latin) which are only offered twice a year.

 

Did your daughter take the SAT Math Level 2 test at the end of her junior year?

 

Yes, she took it after College Algebra and Trigonometry at the community college.

 

...

 

Our proposed sequence for math (based off of ps sequence) is:

 

9th - Geometry

10th - Adv. Algebra II (Foerster - either at school or with me)

11th - Functional Analysis/Trigonometry or Pre-Calculus - take Math SAT Level 2 here?

12th - AP Statistics or AP Calculus AB (challenge course with state university - Math 251, 252)

 

This is the FAT course description:

Prerequisite: Algebra II and Teacher Rec.

This is the fourth course in the four-year sequential math curriculum. This course focuses on understanding and

applying polynomial, inverse, power, exponential, rational,and trigonometric functions. Students will also investigate

logarithms and trigonometric relations.

 

Would this be similar to your dd's CC class?

 

I'm not up on the formal definition of PreCalculus, but those topics sound roughly equivalent. And, just to note, the textbook used for both my daughter's College Algebra and Trigonometry classes was titled PreCalculus.

 

I think what I am asking in a roundabout way, is what year did she take AP Stats?

 

She took that class during twelfth grade. So, she did not have that exam score while she was applying, but the course itself showed she was taking rigorous classes that year. Ideally, you'd like for your son to have one or two or more AP exam scores already in hand to share when he applies senior year. For that to happen, he'd need to take the exams at the end of junior year.

 

I really owe you a glass of wine or some chocolate for the mention of the PA Homeschoolers. ....

 

My daughter's experience there was certainly positive.

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Nan in Mass]

Nan, I am sorry it has taken me a week to get back to your excellent post, but you and Lisabees brought up good points that I needed to walk through and do the additional research that was indicated.

 

 

I always do that. If the post or email requires thinking or if it is particularly important, I usually can't answer right away. It is rather frustrating but just the way it is. I knew exactly what had happened lol. Everybody threw tons of information at you and obviously it was going to take some processing.

 

Yes, we knew this could happen ...

 

 

Sounds like your plan is beginning to gel and you are doing all the necessary negotiating. Good!

 

When I laid out the four-year-plan, it was heavy on AP courses, not because there is a lot of college advantage to having them, but often they were the logical step in a particular discipline sequence.

 

This is what Gwen keeps saying about AP classes. That should be nice and encouraging to you : ) Gwen has children in college. Getting a son into Webb (Web?) is amazing. You might want to check that school out, even though it is on the other side of the country from you.

 

I think he wants to aim for your option B of doing most of what is on the scary list and doing something that will astound Ivy League admissions offices. It is a good thing he likes to test since I think we may have to do a fair amount of it.

 

Good - it sounds like he is buying into all those hoops. I think the hardest students to deal with are the ones who have big dreams but have their heads in the sand about what it will take to carry out those dreams. It doesn't sound like you are going to have to deal with that, anyway.

 

Nan, I understand hiding in the tree top. You know I do. I am anxiously waiting to hear the results of your grand experiment, because I know that you have definitely not walked the standard path and while I know in my heart that is a good thing on so many levels, it is nice to see it validated on paper as in a college acceptance. :grouphug:

 

 

I am venturing down into the lower branches. Youngest heard favourably from two colleges. More of the details of that are here: http://forums.welltr...d/#entry4644449 and in the big acceptances 2013 thread. We are both very relieved to have two acceptances in hand, enough that it now seems much easier to wait for the other five answers. Still haven't heard from UMass (the biggest and busiest of the lot). Phew.

 

Hugs,

Nan

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

It is this "path of no return" that freaks me out,

 

I've been on the path of no return ever since we started homeschooling. One gets used to it.

 

I know you said you didn't want an umbrella school, but have you looked at Kolbe Academy? They let you alter their course plans as much as you want, even to the point of doing something completely different, using different books, and changing the subject. Sure, you need three history classes, including one US and one world. That's the end of their requirements for history. You grade, you report, and the student gets a California diploma. That's what we're doing. It's sorta like a middle ground. You're still in charge of your homeschool, but there's an outside supervision.

[swimmermom3]

I've been on the path of no return ever since we started homeschooling. One gets used to it.

 

I know you said you didn't want an umbrella school, but have you looked at Kolbe Academy? They let you alter their course plans as much as you want, even to the point of doing something completely different, using different books, and changing the subject. Sure, you need three history classes, including one US and one world. That's the end of their requirements for history. You grade, you report, and the student gets a California diploma. That's what we're doing. It's sorta like a middle ground. You're still in charge of your homeschool, but there's an outside supervision.

 

Cleo, I appreciate your suggestion, butI have thought really hard about this decision. For the past two years I have had to jump through others' hoops to educate a seriously depressed child at home (dd) for 12th and then my oldest son for 11th. To paraphrase Elegantlion, I am bad a jumping through hoops. Five years of homeschooling has dumped my Catholic school girl, cross-walk sign-obeying soul on end. I have grown a thicker skin with regards to what friends, family, and mere acquaintances think.

 

I am still terrified, but I think I would rather manage my own terror with the help of all the knowledgeable, helpful hands on this board, then play with someone else's rules, even if they are loose ones.

 

Ever since we confirmed our intentions with the school on Thursday, everything has been quietly slipping into place. I asked the amazing school counselor, who worked with my daughter, if she could be my son's counselor. She has taken us on, given ds an awesome schedule, while moving him to a geometry class with one of the better teachers. This will take care of the recommendation needed for next year's advanced math class. We are just waiting for the approval for AP European History as he would be the youngest in the class.

[Kareni]

Ever since we confirmed our intentions with the school on Thursday, everything has been quietly slipping into place.

 

That's great to hear. I hope that the final pieces will do so as well.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Nan in Mass]

 

 

Cleo, I appreciate your suggestion, butI have thought really hard about this decision. For the past two years I have had to jump through others' hoops to educate a seriously depressed child at home (dd) for 12th and then my oldest son for 11th. To paraphrase Elegantlion, I am bad a jumping through hoops. Five years of homeschooling has dumped my Catholic school girl, cross-walk sign-obeying soul on end. I have grown a thicker skin with regards to what friends, family, and mere acquaintances think.

 

I am still terrified, but I think I would rather manage my own terror with the help of all the knowledgeable, helpful hands on this board, then play with someone else's rules, even if they are loose ones.

 

Ever since we confirmed our intentions with the school on Thursday, everything has been quietly slipping into place. I asked the amazing school counselor, who worked with my daughter, if she could be my son's counselor. She has taken us on, given ds an awesome schedule, while moving him to a geometry class with one of the better teachers. This will take care of the recommendation needed for next year's advanced math class. We are just waiting for the approval for AP European History as he would be the youngest in the class.

 

 

Lisa, that is wonderful. I hope things continue to click into place smoothly. I am convinced that when that happens, it is the direct result of worry, of all the tons of worrying you did. All that worry means that you've thought out the ramifications of all the different paths and resources. You've (usually) told enough people and gotten enough advice and help that when things begin to happen, you can navigate with decisiveness and take advantage of the opportunities as they appear. I hope that when everything settles down into a steady schedule, you can just breathe for a while.

 

Hugs,

Nan

[Frances]

Hi Lisa,

 

I want to reassure you that homeschooling high school in Oregon will not close any doors or do I believe make admission to any of the state schools more difficult.

 

I don't know where you are located in OR, but I found the Willamette Valley to be full of academic and social opportunities for homeschooled high school students. We primarily took advantage of an awesome homeschool center in Portland and a special program for high school students at the local LAC. My son was able to take 2 courses each term for two years at the local LAC for significantly less than the cost of community college. He made some friends and had some great mentors who later wrote wonderful letters for summer programs and college admissions. Off the top of my head, I know Willamette, Reed, Lewis & Clark, Linfield, and George Fox have such programs, although not all are advertised. You might have to call the admissions department directly and inquire. (He also audited an additional course each semester his senior year for only $50. Two of his college acceptance letters specifically mentioned being impressed by this.) While we did some subjects at home, we also used the community college, Oregon Health & Science University (an amazing class which led to summer research), Pennslyvania Homeschoolers, and tutors.

 

While my son had some grades on his homemade transcript from outside courses, I didn't give grades and neither did the homeschool center, so for most classes he didn't have grades. Although he primarily applied to LACs, he did want to keep the option of the Honors College at the U of O open, so did take the two required subject tests. He simply took them immediately after finishing the related college class with only minimal prep (one practice test) and did just fine. As for the foreign language requirement, all the state schools offer the same wide range of options to show proficiency equivalent to two high school years. You can find the list on any of their admission pages. We did Spanish very unconventionally, as I really only cared about his speaking and comprehension ability and not so much about reading and writing. He chose the CLEP because we heard the SAT Spanish test curve was very difficult for non-native speakers. Despite very minimal prep (again, one practice test) and the computer crashing after one of the listening sections (you're only allowed to listen to each section once), he tested out of five quarters of college Spanish (missing the sixth by one point). Although none of the LACs required SAT subject tests for homeschoolers, the two most selective did encourage them, especially in math. Although he took the subject tests (Math and a science) and the Spanish CLEP for the state school, I think they strengthened his applications to the LACs, as he had no outside grades in Math or Spanish.

 

For applying to the U of O, we found the admission office incredibly helpful. He spoke to the same person each time and got immediate and accurate help. Although he had enough credits to apply as a transfer, we wanted him to apply as a freshman for the best scholarship consideration. (Although applying as a transfer is another common route for homeschoolers. It doesn't take that many credits and you just need to make sure he has one college math class and one college writing class. I think all of the state schools and community colleges allow students to take classes starting at 16 and many as early as 14) For the honors college, while not quite as encouring, they did say they would look at anything we sent. So while his admission to the university was based on test scores (and maybe his grades in college courses), we sent everything to the Honors College we had prepared for the LACs except the counselor letter (course descriptions, homemade transcript, additional letter of recommendation beyond the required two, research proposal from his summer research, etc.)

The results: he was accepted to all of the colleges he applied to, including several very selective LACs with great merit aid at those that offer it and got into the Honors College at the U of O with a full tuition Presidential Scholarship. I write this not to brag, but to encourage you that there are so many resources out there and so many different ways to reach the desired goals. Except for the spring of his junior year when my son took way too many classes from way too many providers, he had plenty of time to deeply pursue his personal interests, connect with amazing mentors, and spend time with friends, all while getting a great college-prep education.

 

I wish you and your son the best of luck on the rest of your homeschooling journey. Have fun!